Amazon Announces Amazon Fire TV, its $99 Gaming and Media Box

Amazon announced today the Amazon Fire TV, a media streaming box for the living room that will play movies and video games. It's intended to compete with other streaming devices like Roku, Apple TV, and Google's Chromecast. While most users will likely use the device to watch videos, the box will be able to play games like Minecraft – Pocket Edition with its own Fire TV gaming controller.

In today's announcement, Amazon revealed a number of game companies on board to develop and deliver games for Amazon's new hardware. Initial developers and publishers include 2K Games, Disney, Gameloft, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, Double Fine, Sega, and Telltale Games. Amazon says they'll have thousands of games by next month.

Fire TV will ship starting today for $99 along with its game controller sold separately for $39.99. Specs include a Qualcomm Adreno 320 GPU and Qualcomm Krait 300, quad-core to 1.7 Ghz processor, 8 GB of internal storage, 2GB RAM, WiFi (MIMO), and includes ports for HDMI, optical audio, ethernet, and USB 2.0.

The Amazon Fire Game Controller will allow users to play games including Minecraft – Pocket Edition, Asphalt 8, and NBA 2K14, according to the Amazon product page. It features clickable dual analog sticks, ABXY buttons, d-pad, shoulder buttons and triggers, and back/home/menu/GameCircle buttons. It'll also have media control buttons for rewind and play/pause functions. The controller is powered by 2AA batteries with a 55 hour battery life.

Amazon also revealed its games that are being developed by Amazon Game Studios, one of which is called Sev Zero, a hybrid third-person shooter and tower defense title available for $6.99 or free with purchase of the Fire TV game controller. Other mobile-type games will be available as well including Asphalt 8 and an endless runner Monster University game. Games on average will cost $1.85 and will have many free-to-play titles as well.

For others who wish to use Fire TV as a video device, you'll be able to access content from services like Netflix, Hulu Plus, Showtime, and Amazon's own Instant Video. Here's the feature list from Amazon:

• Voice search that actually works—simply speak the name of a movie, TV show, actor, director, or genre into the remote, and you’re done. No more hunting and pecking in an alphabet grid.

• All the content—instant access to Netflix, Prime Instant Video, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, YouTube, and more, plus the largest selection of videos for rent and purchase—over 200,000 movies and TV episodes from Amazon Instant Video. Plus, listen to music with Amazon MP3, Pandora, iHeartRadio, TuneIn, and more.

• Powerful performance in a tiny form factor—quad-core processor with over 3x the processing power of Apple TV, Chromecast, or Roku 3, a dedicated GPU, plus 4x the memory of Apple TV, Chromecast, or Roku 3 for exceptional speed and fluidity. Delivers stunning 1080p HD video and immersive Dolby Digital Plus surround sound. All of this comes in an incredibly small package—Fire TV is 0.7” thin and comes with a simple and sleek remote control with a built-in microphone.

• Simple and easy to use—arrives pre-registered so you can start watching immediately out of the box.

• An exclusive new feature called ASAP (Advanced Streaming and Prediction) predicts which movies and TV episodes you’ll want to watch and buffers them for playback before you even hit play—instant start.

• High-quality, low-cost gaming—games like Minecraft, Monsters University, The Game of Life, The Walking Dead, NBA2K14, Asphalt 8, Riptide GP2, Despicable Me: Minion Rush, and more. The average price of paid games on Fire TV is $1.85. Play using your Fire TV remote, the Fire TV app for smartphones and tablets, or the optional Fire game controller.

• Amazon FreeTime revolutionizes parental controls—parents can choose what their kids see and set time limits for types of content and times of day—no more negotiating for one more show before bedtime. Customers who subscribe to FreeTime Unlimited—Amazon’s all-you-can-eat content subscription designed for kids ages 3 to 8—will get unlimited access to thousands of movies and TV shows.